Tile and terra-cotta block



July 15, 1924.

W. H. GRUEBY TILE AND TERRA CO'ITA BLOCK Filed Sept. 13 1922 i I v. a l a anveutoz 9am A1 Patented July 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,501,709 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HENRY'GR'UEBY, OF YORK, N. Y.

TILE AND TERRA-GOTTA. BLOCK.

Application filed September 13, 1922. Serial No. 587,886,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY GRUEBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Manhattan, city, county, andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tile and Terra-Gotta Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in double blocks that may be readily run through a die so as to be manufactured in long strips or bars that may subsequently be cut up into double blocks of any desirable 7 length and then shipped to the job where such double blocks are split, as aforesaid; the production of a block in which continuous vertical recesses or cavities may be formed in a wall built therewith, which cavities afford continuous air channels in the wall and some of which may, if desired, be utilized as conduits for electric light and telephone wires, gas pipes and the like; the production of a block which will have bonding projections or ribs of increased strength; the production of a block havingan inner surface which will be provided with a strong bonding face for cement or plaster so as to enable a secure fastening of the blocks, either in a doublestack to produce a complete wall or partition or in a single stack for'the purpose of facing a wall or the like; the production of a block having depressions between the bonding projections and corrugations on its inner surface, extending from end to end and including the sides of such iprojections; and the production of a om such blocks so as to provide a continuous, sinuous, cementitious bond of substantially uniform thickness between oppozitely-disposed continuously-corrugated suraces.

With these and other objects in view my invention comprises the combination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to co-act and cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions and accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises in one ofits adaptations the preferred form illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1. is a top plan view of a complete double-faced wall constructed with my blocks bonded together with cement;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a wall, partly in section on the line 22 of Fig. l, and showing the continuous channels therein;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is 'a perspective View of a single block embodying my invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a double block, as shipped, and before being split; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a strip or bar of such double blocks as the same come out of the die and before being out to length or split.

Referring now to these drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, my improved tile or terra cotta block comprises a block 1 having a substantially; flat outer side or facing portion 2, which is preferably glazed and an inner bonding side or portion 3, provided with bonding projections or ribs i at each end and in the middle thereof, each projection preferably having substantially the conformation 'of a triangular prism, the top or apical edge of which is, in manufacture and when shipped connected as shown in Fig. 5 to the top or apical edge of a similar bonding projection .on an oppositely-disposed twin block so as to form a double block as shown in said Fig. 5. Said inner bonding face or portion 2- is also provided intermediate the apical edges of said bonding projections with depressions or grooved surfaces which are preferably semi-elliptical in conformation and have ,continuous corrugations 8 extending substantially over the entire area of such depressions, including the sides of said bonding projections.

The apical edge of each of the bonding projections is relatively thin and the central bonding projection is substantially equal in width at its top or apical edge to the width of the two end projections. The shape of such projections just described provides a relatively thick base so as to afford a strong body for the block and to cause the apical edge of the bonding projections when connected together in a double block to be readily severable or split on the job into its constituent blocks by means of a trowel or like implement. I am thus enabled to produce a readily splittable double-block and so reduce the cost of manufacture and the liability of breakage in shipment. In order to still further reduce the cost of manufacture these double blocks are, in manufacture, run through a die in long bars or strips, as shown in Fig. 6, and then cut into any desirable lengths as indicated by dotted lines 10 in said Fig. 6.

Each of the'blocks is, in the preferred form shown, provided at its thickest portion adjacent to the base of each of the bonding projections, with a vertically-disposed recess or cavity 5, curvilinear in outline; and, as shown, each of the blocks has a central, vertical recess 6, circular in outline, having its axis in the mid-plane of the block and each end of the block is provided with a semi-circular recess having its axis in the end face of the block, whereby when the blocks are stacked with broken joints, the semi-circular end recesses will=register with the walls of the central recess and vice versa, thus formin in the wall a series of continuous vertlcal channels circular in conformation in each of the stacks at opposite sides of the wall. These channels provide continuous vents or air spaces within the said stacks and alsoprovide convenient conduits for carrying telephone, telegraph and electric light wires, gas pipes or the like. Furthermore, the recesses may, where it is not desired to provide conduits or air channels, be filled in with cement in order to produce a more secure bond between adjacent blocks.

When a double faced wall or partition is formed, as shown in Fig. 1, itwill be seen that a continuous and sinuous bond of cementitious material, of substantially uniform thickness, is formed between continuously corrugated inner; surfaces of the 0ppositely disposed tile or terra cotta block and that an exceptionally strong and secure bond is thus produced.

Havin described my invention, I claim 1. A tile block having an outer substantially flat facing side and an inner surface provided with inwardly-extending projections at the middle portion and at opposite ends, the middle projection havin a vertically-disposed recess of suitable dimensions wholly within the same and the end projections having recesses of a portion of the area of the recess of the middle projection, whereby when stacked two of the end recesses will register with a middle recess to form continuous channels.

2. A wall embodying tile blocks each havsite ends of the block of substantially half the area of the centrally disposed recess, whereby when the tiles are stacked two of the end. recesses will register with the centrally disposed recess to form channels in the wall.

3. A wall embodying tile blocks each having an outer side comprising a substantially flat outer surface and an inner side bonding face provided with a centrally disposed bonding projection having substantially the conformation of a triangular prism of suitable width of base, and bonding projections at opposite ends of the block, each constituting half of the central prism, said block also having adjacent to the base of the central bonding projection a centrally disposed recess extending through the block andrecesses adjacent to the bases of the end projections at opposite ends of the block of substantially half the area of the central recess whereby when the tiles are stacked two of the end recesses will register with the central recizlss to form continuous channels in the wa 4. A wall embodying tile blocks each having an outer side comprising a substantially flat outer surface and an inner side bonding face provided with a centrally disposed bonding projection having substantially the conformation of a triangular prism of suitable width of base, and bonding projections at opposite ends of the block, each constituting half of the central prism, said block also having adjacent to the base of the central bonding projection a centrall disposed recess extending through the bloch and recesses adjacent to the bases of the end projections at opposite ends of the block of substantially half the area of the central I recess whereby when the tiles are stacked two of the end recesses will register with the central recess to form continuous channels in the wall, and said inner faces also being provided between the bonding projections with depressions having corrugations extending from the apical edge of one projection to the apical edge of another.

5. A partition or wall comprisin two 0 positely disposed stacks of tile books, tile inner bonding faces of which are provided with bonding projections having substantially the conformation of a triangular prism and depressions between. the apical edges of such projections having corrugated name to this specification in the presence of surfaces, the said opposite stacks being artwo subscribing witnesses, this 2nd day of ranged to provide a continuous, sinuous September, 1922. bondin channel of substantially uniform WILLIAM HENRY GRUEBY. 5 width t erebetween, and a bond of cementi- Witnesses:

tio'us material in said channel. HELEN V. WHIDDLE,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my HY. G. DORSGH. 

